Backyard BBQ Station Setup Buying Guide

Key Point

• Building a backyard BBQ station involves more than a grill and grill accessories. Outdoor kitchen equipment like countertops, cabinets, sinks, pizza ovens, and more customizes your cooking options.
• Seating, storage, and other outdoor furniture give your family and guests comfortable options to relax and enjoy summer parties in comfort.
• Fire pits provide additional cooking and decor options for your backyard. Fire pits and other outdoor heating fixtures extend the usefulness of your outdoor lounge by supplying the warmth needed to enjoy the outdoors during colder weather.

When I was a kid, we had a charcoal grill we’d bust out for summer parties and special meals, but our grill stood alone on a small slab of concrete without anywhere to sit and eat or enjoy time with the chef while they barbecued. Seeing homes with garden kitchens and outdoor grill stations always blew me away. The thought of affording a second cooking station, especially one outside of the standard indoor variety, was the ultimate luxury. After all, what’s better than having a backyard oasis that affords you the freedom to cook what you want, when you want?

Your backyard BBQ setup is only part of the equation! Grills, smokers, and other outdoor kitchen appliances make a splash when you’re catering the menu for a pool party or high school graduation celebration, but what about the rest of the party necessities? Patio furniture can make or break an outdoor entertaining space, even when the menu is fire. Before you throw in the towel, tag in IWAE for outdoor furniture and kitchen equipment recommendations that will transform your backyard into the relaxing outdoor lounge of your dreams.

Why Create a Backyard Cooking Station?

Curious about what events you can organize with a backyard cooking station? The flexibility afforded by a modern outdoor kitchen may surprise you! Proper safety protocol states that grills and smokers must be operated outdoors, so hosting cookouts and barbecues outside makes the most sense. Other occasions simply call for time in the sun. Holiday gatherings, birthday parties, graduation celebrations, and other festivities are more fun when guests aren’t trapped indoors. Anyone who has ever taken on the task of hosting knows that coordinating all the food and drinks takes time—so much that you might end up missing the party. In fact, if you’re anything like my parents, you’ll still be heating dishes up in the oven or cooking the main course in the middle of the event.

With only indoor cooking options available, you’ll be stuck inside slaving over a hot stove while your friends and family live it up just outside. Sure, it’s your party, and you can cry if you want to. But a backyard cooking station adds versatility to your meal-time repertoire and lets you join the party.

How to Build an Outdoor Kitchen

Knowing what outdoor kitchen ideas suit your space is simple. With our buying guide at your disposal, you’ll have easy access to each of the components you need. We’ll touch on the essential elements to craft an outdoor kitchen and lounge space, such as:

• Grills & grill accessories
• Outdoor kitchen equipment
• Backyard furniture
• Fire pits & other fire fixtures

Grills & Grilling Accessories

The grill is the centerpiece of any outside cooking area. We have a buying guide of top-rated grills & grill accessories, but we offer many more small outdoor BBQ area ideas. Let’s have a look at some of our favorite bundles that make it easy to get all the grill equipment you need:

*Determine whether a gas or pellet grill works better for you before picking a grill bundle

Pro tip: Follow proper outdoor grill maintenance to ensure your cooking station provides reliable results for years to come!

Outdoor Kitchen Equipment

A lot of people think stainless steel outdoor kitchens start and end at the patio grill, but there are so many more options to explore when crafting a cooking station on the back porch. With a few extra appliances and lots of stainless steel counter space, you’ll have a fully functional kitchen in your backyard. Why stainless steel? To combat inclement weather and other environmental factors that cause corrosion, rust, and other signs of wear over the years. In fact, our personal favorite upgrades to round out your outdoor kitchen are all stainless steel superstars:

• Replace a standard Grill Cart with a Blaze 6’ Outdoor Kitchen Island for more storage and counter space to work with
• Add Outdoor Cabinet Storage to enclose a kitchen space and keep utensils, dishware, and other tools readily available, and clean
• Install a Sink & Ice Bin to save yourself trips from frequent indoor trips to clean dishes, get some ice, or cool down with a glass of water
• Renter-friendly outdoor cooking options, like a Pizza Oven, offer a whole new world of cooking, regardless of whether more permanent fixtures are feasible

Backyard Furniture

Once you have your outdoor cooking station set up in a way that suits how you cook, it’s time to adorn the rest of your backyard! Buck Stove offers outdoor furniture sets that come in a variety of sizes and colors, ensuring an option that suits the landscaping design you’ve always wanted for your backyard. From dining sets to singular seating options, there’s durable outdoor furniture that transforms your backyard into the go-to gathering place in nice weather. Check out these stylish and resilient outdoor furniture options that will suit your outdoor entertainment needs:

Fire Pits & Fixtures

It’s easy to forget about outdoor heating options when it’s the dead of summertime and the sweltering heat has you begging for ways to cool down, but a fire pit does more than add warmth to your lounge! After all, what’s a pool party without skewers of toasty marshmallows and s’mores while you dry off? You can get away with using a collapsible option as a stand-in, but installing a permanent fire pit in your outdoor lounge makes it easier to set up a cohesive entertainment area. That’s why we suggest getting US Stove’s 31” Smokeless Wood Burning Fire Pit as the centerpiece of your outdoor seating space. Whether you leave the fire pit as a sleek stainless steel standalone or surround the outside with bricks or concrete blocks, a smokeless fire pit is a necessary quality-of-life upgrade.

Pro tip: Additional outdoor heating options exist to extend how long you can use your outdoor lounge space! Check out our Cozy Outdoor Lounge article to learn more.

Backyard BBQ All Summer Long with IWAE

Making the most of your outdoor space means more than cutting the grass or planting some flowers. Your backyard can be the bane of your existence, or it can be where you spend most of your time; all it takes is the right furniture and outdoor cooking equipment to transform any outdoor space. Don’t wait for the 4th of July to be right around the corner before you look for a bigger grill and dining table to entertain the family! Give the experts at IWAE a call today and share your vision for your backyard oasis. We’ll share personalized suggestions that suit your needs so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits, meats, cheeses, and s’mores of your labor all year long.